Yellows bounce back with home win over Mickleover

WARRINGTON Town got back on track with a 3-1 home win over Mickleover Sports.

They were 2-0 up inside 25 minutes but the visitors’ fightback was foiled by a red card for midfielder Jake Scott before the hour and Jamie McDonald made sure of the points for the Yellows.

After a disappointing defeat at home to Stalybridge on Tuesday night, Warrington got off to the perfect start when Sean Williams’ curling free kick was headed home by Liam Goulding inside three minutes.

An almost carbon copy free-kick then resulted in Tony Gray heading wide at the back post, before the excellent Lewis King in the Mickleover goal got down well to save a first time effort from Devarn Green.

King was then out quick to foil McDonald off Williams’ through ball, but the hosts didn’t have to wait long for a second goal when Williams’ free-kick appeared to go all the way in without touching anybody.

But for the remainder of the first half, it was mostly Mickleover. Luke Pilling, on loan from Tranmere, was making his debut in goal for the Yellows and he was called in to routine action on the half hour mark to deny Scott and then Evan Garnett.

The pressure told on 36 minutes though, when John McGrath’s corner was powered home by the head off Pablo Mills, despite Pilling getting a touch to it on the way through.

Winger Louis Briscoe forced two more saves out of Pilling, first from a well hit shot from the right, and then a driven free-kick from the very edge of the left hand side of the box.

Half time came at a good time for the Yellows, and they were helped 10 minutes in to the second half when Scott, who had been whistled for persistent fouling throughout, earned a second yellow card for a foul on Williams in midfield.

Despite the man disadvantage, Mickleover continued to create and another low Briscoe free kick was well stopped by Pilling.

But Warrington would get a third goal to give themselves some breathing space. Mickleover squandered possession in defence, with their own man Jimmy Phillips on the floor, and the Yellows played on, the ball eventually going wide to Tony Gray, and his low cross was diverted in by McDonald off the back of the unfortunate King.

The win consolidates Warrington’s spot in the play-off places as they moved up to second.